Evidence-based support for transition to agroecological weed management in diverse farming systems regions

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Unité de recherche

SEFRI

Numéro de projet

23.00325

Titre du projet

Evidence-based support for transition to agroecological weed management in diverse farming systems regions

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	Allemand	Français	Italien	Anglais
Résumé des résultats (Abstract)	-	-	-

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Résumé des résultats (Abstract) (Anglais)	There is an urgent need to move towards sustainable weed management strategies. Agroecology offers a unique approach & seeksto transform food & agriculture systems, providing long-term solutions. Challenge 1: Agroecological practices are already applied todifferent degrees. However, wide adoption of agroecological weed management has lagged behind our understanding of its benefits andway to optimally apply it in different cases. Challenge 2: Even with simple agroecological practices, uptake by farmers has been limited.Impediments to employing such practices include inadequate policy instruments, a lack of market mechanisms, and a paucity of socialinfrastructure with which to influence learning & decision-making by farmers. Challenge 3: Weeds are expected to become more difficultto reliably control with herbicides under increasing CO2 and climate change (CC). Nevertheless, practical implications of climate changefor the many non-chemical tactics integral to agroecological weeding have not been thoroughly addressed yet. CONSERWA will addressthe aforementioned challenges by: a) compiling a portfolio of agroecological farming practices, studying their optimal combinations &transferability, including suitability under CC scenarios, b) supporting the implementation of these combinations and the measurementof their performance & impacts using novel tools, c) supporting knowledge management & communication between stakeholders withthe ultimate goal of practical decision-making and impact assessment through an open DSS, d) studying factors influencing farmers’decision-making in applying agroecological farming, working together with the value chain, such as the food processors & consultancyservices. The study will be facilitated by case studies covering all European biogeographical/pedo-climatic regions and involving awide range of crops & farming systems. CONSERWA focuses also on training of farmers, as well as on policy making (through policyrecommendations).

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Texte

Résumé des résultats (Abstract)
(Anglais)

There is an urgent need to move towards sustainable weed management strategies. Agroecology offers a unique approach & seeksto transform food & agriculture systems, providing long-term solutions. Challenge 1: Agroecological practices are already applied todifferent degrees. However, wide adoption of agroecological weed management has lagged behind our understanding of its benefits andway to optimally apply it in different cases. Challenge 2: Even with simple agroecological practices, uptake by farmers has been limited.Impediments to employing such practices include inadequate policy instruments, a lack of market mechanisms, and a paucity of socialinfrastructure with which to influence learning & decision-making by farmers. Challenge 3: Weeds are expected to become more difficultto reliably control with herbicides under increasing CO2 and climate change (CC). Nevertheless, practical implications of climate changefor the many non-chemical tactics integral to agroecological weeding have not been thoroughly addressed yet. CONSERWA will addressthe aforementioned challenges by: a) compiling a portfolio of agroecological farming practices, studying their optimal combinations &transferability, including suitability under CC scenarios, b) supporting the implementation of these combinations and the measurementof their performance & impacts using novel tools, c) supporting knowledge management & communication between stakeholders withthe ultimate goal of practical decision-making and impact assessment through an open DSS, d) studying factors influencing farmers’decision-making in applying agroecological farming, working together with the value chain, such as the food processors & consultancyservices. The study will be facilitated by case studies covering all European biogeographical/pedo-climatic regions and involving awide range of crops & farming systems. CONSERWA focuses also on training of farmers, as well as on policy making (through policyrecommendations).